How to package up glass rods to post

[Fruddy]

I have some clear stringer that I have given away to a couple of FHF members and I want to post it tomorrow or Tuesday.

But I am at a loss to know how to send it safely.  I don't have any boxes, but have oodles of bubble wrap - do you think that plenty of this would be sufficient, with some "FRAGILE!!!" stickers on, or is it likely to get mashed by the time it reaches them??

I have never sent glass rods through the post before and I would hate for them to arrived in pieces!

Thanks v. much.

[elburnzo]

i wrap mines in bubble wrap then wrap a piece of stiff cardboard around it and then wrap up for posting. it the postie can bend it they normally do which results in broken rods 

[Hazer]

I pack them in bubble wrap, then roll them in a piece of stiff card, then wrap in an envelope/brown paper and write 'Do Not Bend' in marker pen. If they try to bend it, the cardboard usually stops 'em.  HTH

[Fruddy]

Ah!  Fab!  Stiff card I can do -have loads of the stuff!!!

Brilliant - thanks so much guys!!

[garishglobes]

I usually do a toblerone - old cardboard box cut to the right length and scored into 3 to fit round the bubble-wrapped rods, if that makes sense. Triangles seem to be a good strong shape for posting.

[Fruddy]

I usually do a toblerone - old cardboard box cut to the right length and scored into 3 to fit round the bubble-wrapped rods, if that makes sense. Triangles seem to be a good strong shape for posting.

Excellent!  Will do that, thanks so much!!

[jammie]

if its not too many rods then the inside carboard tube of a kitchen foil or cling film box  is good too. 

[ScarletLeonard]

Don't put the fragile stickers on though!!!

[Steampunkglass]

Don't put the fragile stickers on though!!!

Good idea! I don't do that either as it's like a 'throw me' sticker for the odd postman who hates his job 

[JaySpangles]

I got some rods recently with stiff card in and it was still broken,  I usually stick a (thinish) piece of wood in with mine, or have used some plastic trunking I found in DH's garage which was lighter.  I would happily re-imburse postage costs.

[★★Terri★★]

Just a though - what about a length of plastic plumbing pipe - the stuff your sink etc drains away through.  It's fairly lightweight and tough.  Pleny of bubble wrap and nice and firmly held in the pipe with plenty of tape over the ends should foil the glass breaking attempts of any postie.

[Hamilton Taylor]

Don't put the fragile stickers on though!!!

I second, third and fourth this. Red rag, and all that.
The secret is to immobilise the glass. larger bundles, when packed tightly, and immobilised using clingwrap or tightly wound elastic bands, or electrical tape, become very rigid and difficult to break by bending. (Don't use cable ties. One co. we use does this, and the bundles are not tight enough, and the catch-nubbins create pressure points which can start cracking. A hobby-horse of mine...) They are still brittle, and subject to impact damage, so try to immobilise them inside the box by arranging them in the center, and packaging around (bubble wrap, peanuts, loose newspaper, shreddings, etc.). Once sealed up, shake the box to check. If anything moves, there's not enough packing material.
For small quantities, tobleroning is great - score across the 'grain', not along it, stronger that way. Otherwise, the corrugations can collapse, and you end up with thick paper, instead of rigid card. Taping to a stick before tobleroning is even better - we have sent stringers taped to bamboo skewers before. If you're nervous about it, practice on spaghetti.

To summarise:

Rigidize
Immobilise
Disguise (by which I mean, put nothing on the outside of the box to tempt a neddy postie to do whatever it is that the message on the box is imploring him not to; he will. Esp. at this time of year...)

Phew. Can you tell I'm displacing from a dissertation?

Sean

[Trudi]

Do you feel better for getting that off your chest!

[Hamilton Taylor]

Hmmmm?
Don't know what you mean...

[jammie]